The Old Franciscan Missions Of California eBook

Palou eventually established the Mission October 9,
1776. None of the Indians were present to witness
the ceremony, as they had fled, the preceding month,
from the attacks of certain of their enemies.
When they returned in December they brought trouble
with them. They stole all in their reach; one
party discharged arrows at the corporal of the guard;
another insulted a soldier’s wife; and an attempt
was made to kill the San Carlos neophyte who had been
brought here. The officers shut up one of these
hostiles, whereat a party of his comrades rushed to
the rescue, fired their arrows at the Mission, and
were only driven back when the soldiers arrived and
fired their muskets in the air. Next day the
sergeant went out to make arrests and another struggle
ensued, in which one was killed and one wounded.
All now sued for peace, which, with sundry floggings,
was granted. For three months they now kept away
from the Mission.

In 1777 they began to return, and on October 4, Padre
Serra, on his first visit, was able to say mass in
the presence of seventeen adult native converts.
Then, passing over to the presidio on October 10, as
he stood gazing on the waters flowing out to the setting
sun through the purple walls of the Golden Gate, he
exclaimed with a heart too full of thanksgiving to
be longer restrained: “Thanks be to God
that now our father St. Francis with the Holy Cross
of the Procession of Missions, has reached the last
limit of the Californian continent. To go farther
he must have boats.”

In 1782, April 25, the corner-stone of a new church
was laid at San Francisco. Three padres were
present, together with the Mission guard and a body
of troops from the presidio. In the Mission records
it says: “There was enclosed in the cavity
of said corner-stone the image of our Holy Father
St. Francis, some relics in the form of bones of St.
Pius and other holy martyrs, five medals of various
saints, and a goodly portion of silver coin.”

In 1785 Governor Pages complained to the viceroy,
among other things, that the presidio of San Francisco
had been deprived of mass for three years, notwithstanding
the obligation of the friars to serve as chaplains.
Palou replied that the padres were under no obligation
to serve gratuitously, and that they were always ready
to attend the soldiers when their other duties allowed.

In November, 1787, Captain Soler, who for a brief
time acted as temporary governor and inspector, suggested
that the presidio of San Francisco be abandoned and
its company transferred to Santa Barbara. Later,
as I have shown elsewhere, a proposition was again
made for the abandonment of San Francisco; so it is
apparent that Fate herself was protecting it for its
future great and wonderful history.

In 1790 San Francisco reported 551 baptisms and 205
deaths, with a present neophyte population of 438.
Large stock had increased to 2000 head and small to
1700.